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Kinsey Collection: The first black Senator and Representatives

: (left to right) Senator Hiram Revels of Mississippi, Representatives Benjamin Turner of Alabama, Robert DeLarge of South Carolina, Josiah Walls of Florida, Jefferson Long of Georgia, Joseph Rainey and Robert B. Elliot of South Carolina.(Photo: The Kinsey Collection)

The world renowned New York print shop Currier & Ives produced more than 1 million lithographs and at least one is being displayed at Florida A&M University’s Foster-Tanner Arts Gallery.

The print, which dates back to 1872, shows the country’s first black senator and U.S representatives in the 41st and 42nd Congress – a rare find being shown in The Kinsey Collection of Africa-American Treasures presented by Toyota.

Some of the elected officials shown in the print are Hiram R. Revels, the first black senator elected after the Civil War. Also shown are Josiah Walls, Joseph Rainey and R. Brown Elliot – all of who served during the Reconstruction Era.

“During Reconstruction, Southern whites suddenly found themselves looking at former enslaved people not only eyeball to eyeball, but as equals before the law and in their (the freed slaves) ability to obtain elected office,” according to The Kinsey Collection artifact narrative.

Nashid Madyun, director of the Meek-Eaton Black Archives and Research Center, said the print represents, “The transition in politics and representation in the black community during Reconstruction.”

Madyun said the black community went from most people being slaves to having power.

“The black community had power. African-Americans made it to Congress. They were councilmen,” he added. “This represented a benchmark in black culture.”

This piece and others can be seen at The Kinsey Collection being shown at the Foster-Tanner Arts Gallery, 1630 Pinder Street, on FAMU’s campus during February and March. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.

About the series

Each day during Black History Month, The Tallahassee Democrat is publishing the work of students from FAMU’s School of Journalism & Graphic Communication, who are profiling pieces from the African American Treasures from The Kinsey Collection, presented by Toyota.